WP, Broder: A Democratic Tidal Wave in New Hampshire

[DeepModem Mom]

A Democratic Tidal Wave in New Hampshire
By David S. Broder
Sunday, November 26, 2006; Page B07

When the pack of presidential hopefuls and the reporters who follow them descend on New Hampshire in January, as the 2008 campaign begins, a surprise awaits them. For the first time in anyone's life, New Hampshire has turned into a bright blue Democratic state.

Buried in the news of the national Democratic midterm election victory was an even more dramatic power shift in the state that has become famous as the site of the first presidential primary in each cycle.

In the words of veteran New Hampshire Republican leader Tom Rath, it was "beyond historic" when the Democrats took complete control of the handsome state capitol in Concord for the first time since 1874.

Democratic Gov. John Lynch won a second term with 74 percent of the votes, providing coattails for many others on the ticket.

The Executive Council, which has the power to confirm appointees and approve state contracts, switched from 4-1 Republican to 3-2 Democratic.

The state Senate, which Republicans controlled 16-8, is now Democratic by a 14-10 margin.

The state House of Representatives, which is dwarfed in size only by the British House of Commons and the U.S. House of Representatives, went from 242-150 Republican, with eight vacancies, to 239-161 Democratic.

In addition, Democrats defeated both incumbent Republican congressional representatives in a powerful demonstration of party-line voting....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[Pithy Cherub]

1. More blinding flashes of the glaring obvious

from Broder. Originality has nothing to fear from him.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Well, I didn't know these NH numbers until I saw them in this column. nt

[williesgirl]

2. It probably killed Broder to write this! recommended

[Joe Bacon]

3. Wow, you figured that out all by yourself now, didn't you Davey?

Really who is more inane, Dipshit Dave or Larry King?

[MethuenProgressive]

5. Good find DeepModem, thanks!

Buried in the news of the national Democratic midterm election victory was an even more dramatic power shift in the state that has become famous as the site of the first presidential primary in each cycle.

With all the attention focused on the national races I'm sure Broder's right about this shift in NH being overlooked by most people.

I'm linking to your post on the NH forum, thanks again

[DeepModem Mom]

15. You're very welcome!

[MannyGoldstein]

6. New Hampshire is Conservative, Not Republican

It used to be that Republicans at least talked about Conservative values - so my neighbors to the north voted Republican.

At this point, the Democratic Party has basically become Conservatives who don't mind people having sex, while Republicans have become - well, insane. So New Hampshire voters just went with whatever was ideologically closer to them.

[Cha]

7. Yay! What I remember about

New Hampshire is going to a rally(15,000 peeps) for John Kerry on November 2, 2004 in Manchester and seeing on the enthusiastic Dems on the streets with signs!

[DaveinMD]

22. I don't think its conservative

I think its libertarian. I think that's a fairly important distinction.

[Joe Chi Minh]

24. Isn't New Hampshire where very bright professionals and highly-educated

types generally like to live?

I think they would like to have seen at least one or two of the neocons' policies that were not psychopathically self-serving and in a most short-termist way, at that? Thye must have been terrfied at the avalanche of disasters building up, and probably not yet even in full flow.

Bill Bryson lives there, doesn't he? I sure can't imagine him voting for them.

[Mr_Spock]

26. There are lots of old-school "rednecks" here also.

They are hardcore Republicans. The good news is that many professionals from Mass are moving up here due to lower housing costs and taxes. The locals call us "Massholes" - lol.

[Vinca]

8. I was thrilled New Hampshire went from red to purple to blue in

just a few short years. It was a little unexpected, but when I knew Charlie Bass, our asshat congressman, was going down, I knew something big was going on. I think at this point we're bluer than Vermont!

[filer]

12. Thank you New Hampshire, and congratulations!

I was born in Concord and spent many summers there while growing up. I've always considered NH my second home. Now, if we could just turn Oklahoma around ...

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. Today's republicans are extremist whackos. And NH knows that.

[Rageneau]

10. The great stone Republican face has fallen from the Granite State.

[Joanne98]

11. How sweet it is.....

[Mr_Spock]

13. Huge story here that has been barely mentioned anywhere

This is so incredibly historical it's hard for me to even comprehend. I can no longer call this the most Republican state in the union.

[mzmolly]

19. It must "feel" amazing?

Congratulations to all!

[Redneck Socialist]

14. You're welcome

Election night was a hell of a lot of fun.

[Doctor_J]

16. Hopefully Oly and Suzy across the border will hear the hooves

of the stampede and come over the enlightened side.

[femrap]

17. Congratulations, NH!

I was hoping for something very similar here in Ohio, but alas, our folks seem to like rubber-stamping, insane repugnants.

We did get 4 out of the 5 top State-wide positions: Gov, Atty Gen, Sec'y of State and Treasurer (not Auditor)....but it seemed to have stopped there. I was so relieved and excited to get 'librul' Sherrod Brown as our Senator!

But in our statehouse and Congressionally, all we really got was Bob Ney's old seat with Zack Space. And our state endured so much corruption....our Bureau of Workmens' Comp was ripped off for $50 million and yet Ohio voters elect the repugnants who oversaw that. I don't get it.

And same Congressionally....Mean Jean Schmidt, 'Comb-over' Chabot, Tiberi....I just don't understand how people can still vote for these corrupt rubber-stampers. Why? Are Ohioans just stupid masochists?

[IndyOp]

20. I think Ohioans might look lots smarter after the next election...

With your new Dem Secretary of State your elections just might be run competently and honestly!

Those statewide offices are very important!

[Th1onein]

18. Can I gloat now? Huh? Huh? Can I?

I have never in my life been so tired of the same old phrases:

Al Queda in Iraq
Evildoers
Terrorists/terrorism
Stay the course
Cut and run
in harm's way/out of harm's way

After a while you know bullshit when you hear bullshit. People just got tired of hearing the same old propaganda "catapulting" itself. Americans aren't stupid. There will, admittedly, always remain that 30% of idiots, but the majority of us aren't stupid.

[freethought]

21. I'm not really surprised.

Over the last several years Dems from Massachusetts and other New England states have been coming into New Hampshire
seeking jobs, cheaper real estate than around the Boston area, less traffic, and the like. This tide of blue has been on the rise steadily for some time in NH.

[SaveElmer]

23. Holy Crap...400 representatives in the H of R....

Unless my math is off...that is like 1 for every 3400 citizens...

Population of 1.2 million or so!

[Mr_Spock]

27. Amazing, isn't it?

It's likely that if you hang out at any respectable establishment in a big town that you will see one or two reps regularly!

[jpak]

25. And across the border in Maine: "House results stun Maine GOP"

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/061109legi...

AUGUSTA - Maine Republicans were stunned Wednesday by election results that left Democrats with 89 House seats, compared to 60 for Republicans.

In a year in which Republicans felt good about their chances of taking control of the Maine House, 10 Republican incumbents lost, according to unofficial results released by the House Clerk's Office.

"I have failed and I feel very badly about that," said House Republican Leader David Bowles of Sanford. "I take responsibility for it."

State GOP leaders blamed the loss on national issues, including the war in Iraq, and the statewide referendum on the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

<more>

[AspenRose]

28. May it remain blue forever and may it drive my father in law crazy.

Conservative libertarian that he is.

Christmas is going to be interesting this year.

[Zambero]

29. Must be the "Vermont Influence"

Look for O'Really? to label this as a "Vermont domino effect". He'll lay it directly at the feet of the dreaded soon-to-be Sen. Bernie, who, not content with transforming Vermont into a socialist state, now conspires to deal New Hampshire a similar fate. Now for the most ridiculous item of the day....